Monroe rallies past Fluvanna

STANARDSVILLE — To call Wednesday’s baseball game between Fluvanna County and William Monroe cold or wet would be a gross understatement.

It would have been easy for officials to call the contest before the first pitch, but that wasn’t the case.

“This one was fun,” joked Fluvanna coach Mike Sheridan. “It’s as good as a rain-soaked frozen rear end game as you’re going to get.”

It took seven long innings to decide the winner, but with the game tied in the bottom of the sixth, Danny Morris’ three-run home run over the right-field fence proved to be the difference as the Greene Dragons held off the Flying Flucos 11-8.

“I was in a slump the last few games,” Morris said. “I had to figure out my swing, sit back a little bit and try to hit the ball more to right field and take advantage of our field.”

Morris finished the game 3 for 4 with six RBI and a pair of homers.

Monroe (6-5, 3-2 Jefferson District) had to rally twice to keep the game alive. The Flucos (4-4, 0-3) were up 5-2 in the bottom of the fifth when the rain turned conditions from wet to sopping.

“It would have been real easy for us to quit,” said William Monroe coach Mark Arrington. “It would have been an easy thing to do, but they didn’t. They battled back.”

Battle they did. With runners on first and second, Jason Nave drove in a run to cut the deficit to two. One batter later, Morris was able to tie the game on a two-run single, forcing the officials to allow the two teams to keep playing.

“We didn’t finish and hats off to [Monroe], they didn’t quit,” said Fluvanna coach Mike Sheridan. “We had the chances in the fifth to finish the game. I think they’d have called the game if we had been ahead. But [Monroe] came back and tied it up by getting every big hit they needed to get.”

The Flucos took the lead in the top of the sixth on a three-run shot from Tyler Denby.

Fluvanna jumped out to the 5-2 lead almost entirely on aggressive baserunning, squeezing in a pair of runs in the top of the third and scoring another two on an errant throw in the very next inning.

Denby led the way for Fluvanna by going 3 for 4 with four RBI.

Both teams came into the matchup looking for a district win to try and keep pace with Orange County and Western Albemarle. For Arrington, the victory was invaluable.

“Boy, we sure needed that,” Arrington said. “It’s been a tough week and a half. Something like this can really turn a season around and I’m hoping it does.”

Fluvanna travels to Orange County on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Monroe hosts Monticello on Friday at 5 p.m.